British tourist shot dead in Venezuela

A British tourist has been shot and killed during a robbery while on holiday in Venezuela.

Thomas Ossel was shot in the jaw and his brother, Jack, was also wounded in the attack on Venezuela's Margarita Island.

Talking to a Venezuelan radio station, regional police official Luis Garavin said the shooting happened on Monday as the two men were leaving an upmarket inn to return home from the island, which is one of Venezuela's leading tourist destinations.

He said investigators believe gunmen tried to rob the men and apparently opened fire when they resisted.

Britain's Foreign Office confirmed Mr Ossel's death and said its officials were "providing consular assistance to the family".

Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America. Last year, it reported a rate of 48 murders for every 100,000 inhabitants.

That rate is only surpassed in Latin America by El Salvador where 70 in every 100,000 citizens were murdered last year.